Twenty four companies sent their people along to the New Jersey Turnpike's tour of Interchange 11 Monday - part of the process of soliciting proposals for contracted cash toll collection services. Interchange or Exit 11 is in Woodbridge where the Turnpike crosses the Garden State Parkway and the US9 highway.

25 toll lanes wide IC11 toll plaza is a formidable operation.

The prospective contractors' tour was greeted by union protesters led by Fran Ehret, president of the IFPTE union. Ms Ehret characterizes the move to outsource as "class war."

The toll collection outsourcing has not yet received formal approval by the Turnpike Authority board. It is an executive initiative.

It remains to be seen if private contractors can provide the service at significantly lower cost.

The procurement will answer that question in a matter of weeks. Under Governor Chris Christie the state is vigorously pursuing new ways of doing business. However noses are out of joint, as they say with Christie's transportation commissioner accused of pulling a "swifty" on other board members with the issue of the RFP.